Science. Community. Arson

Science. Community. Arson .

Stellenbosch University – Division for Social Impact 2018

Presented by: Dr Richard Walls – Fire Engineering Research Unit

Overview of presentation

• Informal settlement fires

• Research being undertaken

• Partners

• Opportunities…

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What happens in a fire…

1. A typical South Africa informal settlement before a fire.

2. The same area

after a fire

3. Two days after the

fire. Relief

construction materials

were handed out to

people who had lost

their homes.

How do we know if “solutions” work?

• Limited data exists regarding:

• Testing of solutions

• Understanding technical details surrounding the

current problem (temperatures experienced,

smoke products produced, speed of spread,

behaviour of construction materials, people

movement during disasters, etc.)

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Research Being

Undertaken

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Research Group Objectives

• Understand fire behaviour in shacks.

• Produce data that can be used for developing

solutions.

• Investigate which detectors are most suitable for

informal settlements.

• Develop a “standard shack fire” test.

• Understand human response during fires

• Develop models to predict fire spread through areas

to highlight potential risks and look at which

solutions are most suitable.

• Provide guidelines for improving fire safety.

• Potentially provide guidelines for forensic

investigations after shack fires have occurred.

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Research Group Objectives

• Train the next generation of fire engineers.

• Work with government officials, fire brigades,

municipalities, NGOs, etc. to find solutions.

• Local and international partnerships to assist with

development.

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Kayamandi – 4500 people left homeless

Fire origin

Approximate

wind direction

+- 120 x 450m

Burnt up the hill: ±30m

height difference

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https://www.facebook.com/SullivanPhotographyZA/

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https://www.facebook.com/SullivanPhotographyZA/

A+B: Fire line at 07:30

Hydrant location

This hydrant not found

during firefighting

operations. Possibly

resident’s home built over it.

This hydrant used

extensively but had

insufficient pressure for

multiple lines.

Main access road. Very

narrow, steep and often

blocked.

Fire truck stopping

point for initial 00:30

attack

Non-operational

hydrant

Fire origin

(A)(B)

(C)(D) (E)

(X)

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Name: Time:Area

(m2)

Approx.

structures:

Rate of burn

(m2/hr)

Area A 23:30-01:00 3000 90 2000

Area B 01:00-07:30 16200 460 2500

Area C 07:30-09:00 28600 820 19100

Area D 09:00-11:00 16500 470 8300

Area E 11:00-13:00 12300 350 6200

TOTAL: 76600 +-2197

AB

C

D

E

Fire origin

Summary of

burnt area

and times

Trees (with +-200 houses

below) protected by

firefighting efforts, aerial

support and wind direction

Initial Wind

direction

Wind direction

Source: Michaletz (2007)

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ሶ𝑚𝑝 = 0.21

𝜌∞𝑔

𝑐𝑝𝑇∞

1/3

ሶ𝑄1/3𝑧5/3

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Only 2-4°C temperature

increase at roof

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Development of Standard Shack Fire

Test

RESULTS: MULTI-ISD ROOF TEMPERATURES

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FLASHOVER

(Cicione, 2018)22

Fire Spread Modelling?

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0min – Fire starts

60min – Fire spreads



IRIS-Fire

• Improving the Resilience of Informal Settlements to

Fire (IRIS-Fire). SU has teamed up with the

University of Edinburgh for this work.

• R4.4m awarded to SU.

• Postdoc employed and extensive research

equipment being purchased.

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IRIS-Fire

• Research topics:

• Community surveys

• Full-scale burn tests on up to 50-70 shacks

• Extensive fire modelling and testing

• Develop guidelines for improving safety

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Smoke Alarm Testing

• Smoke and fire alarms tested in 2016

• Most effective technology identified rolled out by

WC Disaster Management.

• 1400 smoke alarms installed in Wallacedene,

sponsored by Santam (implementation by

RADAR). Lives saved already.

• Further testing to happen soon (Dept. of Electrical

Engineering assisting).

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Projects & Partners

• IRIS-Fire: University of Edinburgh, Breede Valley

Fire Station & WCDMFRS

• Smoke alarm development: WCDMFRS &

Oklahoma State University

• Intervention testing: WCDMFRS, Breede Valley

Fire Station, CoCT

• Knysna fire investigation: Santam & WCDMFRS

(RADAR & CSIR & Vulcan Wildfire Management)

• Full-scale steel building testing: SAISC

• Bursaries: AECOM

• Funding in the pipeline…

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Mr Eksteen

presenting to the

Premier of the

Western Cape,

Helen Zille and

Minister Anton

Bredell

Rodney

Eksteen

G Olivier

Minister

Bredell

Premier

Zille

1400 Smoke

Alarms in

Wallacedene

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Media / Community Response

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Media / Community Response

• Multiple interviews on radio Cape Talk with Kieno

Kammies.

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Publications

• In 2018 the following papers will be submitted /

have already been submitted:

• Journal papers: 6-9

• Conference papers: 3

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Opportunities / where to next…

• Many exciting opportunities. World-first research is

being conducted which can impact poor

communities.

• Desperate need for technical solid but socially

suitable solutions to be developed.

• Experimental facilities being developed to further

the investigations.

• Companies need fire engineering staff so may be

willing to support bursaries.

• Funding being sought to establish an MEng in fire

engineering.

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Questions?

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